The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of the nut-bearing tree Carya illinoinensis, known as common pecan and hereafter referred to by the varietal denomination ‘ECLIPSE’. It can be used in gardens or for commercial production of pecan nuts.
The tree was discovered by the inventor in a cultivated area on a farm in Pierce County, Ga. The tree was in a row planted as grafted trees of the cultivar ‘Sumner’ non-patented. The selection was clearly not ‘Sumner’ non-patented, as harvest date was more than 54 days earlier and nut shape and bark texture were clearly distinct. Since the tree was supposed to be ‘Sumner’ non-patented, the orchard manager grafted one limb to ‘Sumner’ non-patented (FIG. 1) in an attempt to convert the tree to that cultivar. Closer observation at the base of the tree revealed the absence of a graft union, indicating that the original tree was an ungrafted seedling, likely resulting from a failed graft attempt at the nursery. Andrew Clough, the inventor, noted exceptional characteristics exhibited on the part of the tree that remained ungrafted. The selection had exceptionally early harvest date, high nut quality, good productivity, and resistance to scab disease and other pests. He then asexually propagated the plant from this cultivated area.
Graft wood of the original ‘ECLIPSE’ tree has been propagated by the inventor by inlay bark grafting onto approximately 50 trees in test orchards in Pierce County, Ga. Additionally, wood was provided for testing purposes to Bill Goff, who propagated 12 ‘ECLIPSE’ trees in a research planting near Tallassee, Ala. in spring, 2010. In all cases, all horticultural traits observed including leaf shape, color, and morphology, bud form, bark color and texture observed are identical to the parent tree, as is normal and expected when pecan trees are propagated by grafting.
Parentage of the tree is unknown. However, characteristics of the tree and nuts, and history of origin, lead to speculation that the parents may be ‘Moore’ non-patented×‘Pawnee’ non-patented. Nuts resemble ‘Pawnee’ non-patented, though earlier and more scab resistance. Bark color and texture resemble ‘Moore’ non-patented. ‘Moore’ non-patented was commonly used as a rootstock in nurseries, and the tree is thought to have originated from a tree bought from a nursery located in Lakeland, Ga., in 1993. The nursery graft either failed or the top died later, resulting in the current unique selection from the original rootstock tree. The tree was purchased to be a grafted ‘Sumner’ non-patented, and half of the tree was grafted to that variety about 2004. ‘ECLIPSE’ is obviously distinct from ‘Sumner’ non-patented as harvest date of ‘Sumner’ non-patented is about 54 days later than ‘ECLIPSE’.